This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Ruby Buzz by David Heinemeier Hansson. Original Post: Choose a single layer of cleverness Feed Title: Loud Thinking Feed URL: http://feeds.feedburner.com/LoudThinking Feed Description: All about the full-stack, web-framework Rails for Ruby and on putting it to good effect with Basecamp Latest Ruby Buzz Posts Latest Ruby Buzz Posts by David Heinemeier Hansson Latest Posts From Loud Thinking

Christopher Petrilli voices a frequent misconception about Active Record, the ORM of Rails, in Least common denominator. The thinking goes that MySQL is holding us back from taking advantage of more advanced database features available in PostgreSQL, Oracle, and others. That if only MySQL was more clever, had more features, we would be embracing them with open arms. Wrong.

Active Record is opinionated software, just like the rest of Rails. This is a matter of opinion, not constraints. And the opinion goes as follows: I don't want my database to be clever! Keep those crayons firmly in place, please.

Unlike Christopher, I consider stored procedures and constraints vile and reckless destroyers of coherence. No, Mr. Database, you can not have my business logic. Your procedural ambitions will bear no fruit and you'll have to pry that logic from my dead, cold object-oriented hands.

Before the DBA-induced side of your brain explodes at that statement, please do read Martin Fowler's article on the difference between application and integration databases. And realize that my opinions are confined to dealing with application databases (and that doing integration through the database belongs in a time where Beverly Hills 90210 was a hit show on TV). Hopefully that calmed you down again.

In other words, I want a single layer of cleverness: My domain model. Object-orientation is all about encapsulating clever. Letting it sieve half ways through to the database is a terrible violation of those fine intentions. And I want no part of it.

All that being said: Whatever floats your boat. Active Record is surprisingly forgiving of your transgressions if you choose to hang out at the Peach Pit. As long as you're not banking your savings on a hope we'll change our ways once MySQL "grows up" and adds all these Enterprise Features to become something bigger and better than a "toy project". You'll die poor, then, I tell you.